Where grace abounds

Nov. 9. Mordecai’s Honor/Haman’s Downfall

Esth. 5:9-7:10

Haman was on “top of the world.” He had riches, a multitude of children and prestige. In addition to that, he had just attended a queen’s banquet with only the king and queen present with him. AND he had been invited by the queen to another banquet the next day with just the three of them to be present. BUT that did not mean anything to him as long as he could see Mordecai, the Jew sitting at the gate and refusing to bow down to his “greatness.” He was pleased when his wife and friends advised him to have a gallows about seventy-five feet high built to hang Mordecai. Pride is a dangerous emotion. It can cause one to commit vicious sins. Don’t be a Haman!

Being unable to sleep that night, Ahasuerus asked for the chronicles to be read to him. When the record of Mordecai’s saving the king’s life had been read, he inquired if anything had been done to honor him for his deed. Haman had come to the outer court to suggest that Mordecai be hanged. He just happened to be at the right place to give the king advice on how to honor the deserving person that he mistakenly thought to be himself. Ahasuerus took his advice and gave Haman the “honor” of leading Mordecai around the town square riding the king’s horse and wearing a royal robe and crown.

The proud Haman was devastated at the unexpected turn of events. After reporting to his wife and friends, he received another discouraging message from her. “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish descent, you will not prevail against him but will surely fall before him.” He was then taken to the queen’s banquet.

King Ahasuerus again asked Esther for her petition and promised to fulfill it even to half of the kingdom. “…let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request.” She related to him the scheme that had been devised to destroy, kill and annihilate her and her people. When asked who and “where is he, who would dare presume in his heart to do such a thing,” Esther said, “The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman!” Emotions ran high. The king left the room in wrath and Haman was terrified. Esther’s life was in danger and the king had been deceived by his top leader. As Ahasuerus returned to the room, he mistakenly assumed that the pleading Haman had assaulted his queen. When informed of the gallows that Haman had built to hang Mordecai, the king said, “Hang him on it!” After Haman was hanged, “the king’s wrath subsided.”